FDA Hiding Info In Pet Food Epidemic, PETA Says

From the North County Gazette in New York comes this commentary:
http://www.northcountrygazette.org/articles/2007/040207HidingInfo.html

The pet food recall has scared the nation.

More than that, it has seriously placed the credibility of not only the pet food companies but that of our own government at issue.

Despite Menu Foods having been responsible for the deaths and sickness of hundreds of pets, they're encouraging the public to keep buying their product because after all, while they recorded nearly a $6 million profit in the last quarter of 2005, for sure their bottom line is going to take a hit in the first quarter of 2006.

Pet food companies like Purina were busy saying buy me, buy me, we're not part of it only a few days later to have Purina tell us that they too were included, recalling one their Alpo Prime Cuts in Gravy, a popular dog food. And then followed Del Monte, and Hill's. Who can you trust anymore?

It seems that virtually every day another company joins the recall and the $64,000 question remains, just what company is the one that the FDA says is the one to whom melamine-contaminated wheat gluten had been shipped which manufactures dry pet food. They refuse to name the company and in our view, that's totally irresponsible, to say the least. If the government in the body of the FDA knows a company's products may contain contamination, they have a responsibility to tell the public so that the public stops using that product.

Just what is the priority of the federal government, trying to save the lives of helpless pets or looking out for the bottom line of pet food manufacturers? Never mind, we think we already know the answer.

In this particular problem, it is said that cats are more susceptible because of their size. What if the contamination affected food for human consumption? What if 16 human beings had died? What if the entire human population was at risk because of imported wheat gluten instead of "ONLY" the entire nation's pet population?

Where is the outrage? Is it because people say, so what, it's only an animal? This is a country that condones using animals for laboratory testing. Why is the Congress and the President apathetic towards this issue? What if it's found that this same wheat gluten used in pet foods is being using in foods for human consumption? How do we know it's not. We as a nation should be more concerned about what the government is NOT telling us than what they are.

... Apparently FDA wasn't concerned enough to tell the public who the manufacturer is they have identified whose dry food is contains the contaminated wheat gluten. Hill's, the only manufacturer so far to have called dry cat food, says it's not them.

In this pet food recall, at first we were told it was confined ONLY to 95 brands of wet dog and cat food, that absolutely dry pet food was safe. Wrong, the federal Food and Drug Administration then identified melamine in wheat gluten used in dry cat food produced by Hill's Pet Nutrition Inc. of Topeka, Kan., and on Friday, that food was recalled. Just think how many pets may have been affected.

Worse yet, just think how many pets continue to be affected because their owners have diligently watched the recall list and think they are feeding their pets safe foods only to be informed within days that that food too is being recalled.

How safe are we, how safe are our pets? FDA officials tell us that while wheat gluten is also used in some human foods, they have supposedly found no indication that the contaminated ingredient had been used in foods for human consumption.

To reiterate, the scary part to us isn't what they're telling us, it's what they're not telling us. After all, the government is pretty good at cover-ups, particularly when they are protecting entire industries, in this case, the pet food industry. Dog and cat food sales in the U.S. reached over $14.3 billion in 2005, according to the Pet Food Institute that represents manufacturers of commercial pet foods.

The president of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) called for the resignation of Andrew von Eschenback, FDA commissioner, after the FDA refused to name the dry pet food maker. http://www.peta.org/pdfs/IGCFax.pdf

PETA president Ingrid Newkirk says that two independent laboratories are claiming that the FDA was wrong when it determined that the agent causing kidney failure in cats and dogs was wheat gluten contaminated with melamine. FDA has yet to recall the dry food that is reportedly killing dogs and cats. What are they waiting for? To see how high the death toll will rise? Do they feel secure because they think they can't be held liable, that cats and dogs are considered personal property and that there can be no damages awarded by a court for emotional distress, intentional emotional distress caused by our own government?

Although the FDA says that melamine was found in pet food and that it may have been the ingredient making animals sick, PETA points out that at the FDA news conference on March 30, the agency did not report the fact that the New York Department of Agriculture and a top Canadian agricultural laboratory -- Animal Health Laboratory at the University of Guelph - both dispute the FDA's finding.
...

"A house-cleaning of the FDA is overdue," writes Newkirk. "Cherished animals are dying horrible deaths because of a fat, callous industry, and you have forfeited the public trust by siding with it to the detriment of the public."

PETA has also called for criminal investigations of Iams, Menu Foods and other companies to determine if there were delays that may have caused more suffering and deaths of animals. Menu Foods president Paul Henderson has already confirmed that the company delayed its recall until weeks after the first complaints were made about the pet food, in order to confirm that cats and dogs were dying from eating the pet food and not from other reasons.

PETA has charged that Menu Foods reportedly knew of this potentially deadly food as early as Feb. 20. When reports surfaced that its dog and cat food might have caused severe illness in customers' animal companions, PETA spokesmen say Menu quietly conducted lethal toxicity tests to confirm the contamination. Dogs and cats were allegedly forced to ingest toxic and lethal food in Menu's laboratory before the company announced the recall of pet food from stores nationwide nearly one month after the initial illness were reported. During this critical time, countless animal companions may have been at risk of getting sick, and many may have died, PETA says. http://www.peta.org/
...

While the finger pointing for the contaminated wheat gluten has been directed at China, on Monday China denied that the pet food ingredients exported to the U.S. are to blame for the pet food recall.
...

New Home for Pet Food Tracker

I set up a new site and blog just for the Pet Food Tracker, to keep it separate so it's easy to find and reference. I'll be copying over posts and comments as soon as I can!

http://www.petfoodtracker.com

FDA Import Alert - Tainted Wheat Gluten Sold as "Food Grade"

This FDA Import Alert ("DETENTION WITHOUT PHYSICAL EXAMINATION AND INTENSIFIED COVERAGEOF WHEAT GLUTEN DUE TO THE PRESENCE OF MELAMINE") issued Friday alerted us to the fact that the Wheat Gluten was Food Grade.

And now (some of) the press finally starts covering this like a real story. (Thanks Carol!)
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/david-goldstein/tainted-wheat-gluten-sold_b_44743.html

Tainted Wheat Gluten Sold as "Food Grade"
by David Goldstein

Del Monte Foods has confirmed that the melamine-tainted wheat gluten used in several of its recalled pet food products was supplied as a "food grade" additive, raising the likelihood that contaminated wheat gluten might have entered the human food supply.

"Yes, it is food grade," Del Monte spokesperson Melissa Murphy-Brown wrote in reply to an e-mail query.
Del Monte issued a voluntary recall Saturday for several products under the Gravy Train, Jerky Treats, Pounce, Ol' Roy, Dollar General and Happy Trails brands.

Wheat gluten is sold in both "food grade" and "feed grade" varieties. Either may be used in pet food, but only "food grade" gluten may be used in the manufacture of products meant for human consumption. Published reports have thus far focused on tainted pet food, but if the gluten in question entered the human food supply through a major food products supplier and processor, it could potentially contaminate thousands of products and hundreds of millions of units nationwide.

Stephen F. Sundlof, director of the Food and Drug Administration's Center for Veterinary Medicine said the FDA is not aware of any contaminated gluten that went into human food but said he could not confirm this "with 100 percent certainty." Wheat gluten is a common food additive used as a thickener, dough conditioner, and meat substitute. It is widely used as an additive in commercial bakery items and special purpose flours.

The FDA announced today that it has traced the contaminated wheat gluten to a single processor, Xuzhou Anying Biological Technology of Peixian, China, but has not released the name of the U.S. distributor who supplied the product to Del Monte, Menu Foods, Nestle Purina, and Hills Nutritional. In all, more than 70 brands and over 60 million cans and pouches of dog and cat food are now part of this massive recall, as well as at least one brand of dry cat food.

Public statements have indicated that the contaminated gluten was distributed by a single U.S. company, but since the FDA refuses to name the supplier, it is not yet known if this company also supplies human food manufacturers. It is also not yet known if Xuzhou Anying sells direct to food manufacturers in the U.S. or abroad.

While cats seem particularly susceptible to the effects of melamine poisoning, there is little research on the substance's human toxicity. Unless and until the FDA determines otherwise, one cannot help but wonder if our sick and dying cats are merely the canary in the coal mine alerting us to a broader contamination of the human food supply.

Congress and Senate get involved - and Media Conference today

If the calls and letters to the FDA won't do anything, and calls and letters to the media won't do anything...

lets put all our support behind the people who ARE starting to do something. Time for more calls and letters to Congress and the Senate.

From Gina at petconnection.com/blog this morning:

I’m trying to get confirmation from C-SPAN, CNN and Fox that at least one of them will air Sen. Durbin’s media conference 1:30 p.m. CT today in Springfield. Here’s contact information if you want to urge full coverage:

• C-SPAN: events@c-span.org
• CNN: http://www.cnn.com/feedback/dotcom/
• Fox: http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,77538,00.html

And speaking of political action (which we have been, click here), reader Mike reminders everyone that:

[…} every Rep will be up for re-election in ‘08, and one-third of the Senators. What’s going into my letters will be some statement to the effect that “I will be supporting a candidate on election day Nov 4 who is working to further this legislation…..”

From Steve posting over on petconnection.com last week:

Sen. Richard Durbin (D-Ill.) and Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.) sent a letter to the commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration March 23 asking for full details of the investigation into the pet food contamination.
http://www.hsus.org/web-files/PDF/Durbin-Menu-Foods-letter-3-26-07.pdf

Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-Ohio) sent a letter to the president and CEO of Menu Foods Income Fund March 23 asking for detailed information explaining the contamination and subsequent recall of Menu Food’s pet food products.
http://www.hsus.org/web-files/PDF/Kucinich-letter-Menu-foods.pdf

DEL MONTE Pulls TREATS and WET Dog Food - Includes POUNCE cat treats

Shocking even me by their timing, Del Monte announces a recall at 7pm Saturday night. Looks like the FDA didn't manage to inform them until this morning.

I will once again update the Pet Food Tracker - as soon as I get back from the store.

March 31, 2007 07:14 PM Eastern Daylight Time

Del Monte Pet Products Voluntarily Withdraws Specific Product Codes of Pet Treats and Wet Dog Food Products

SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--As a precautionary measure, Del Monte Pet Products is voluntarily recalling select product codes of its pet treat products sold under the Jerky Treats®, Gravy Train® Beef Sticks and Pounce Meaty Morsels® brands as well as select dog snack and wet dog food products sold under private label brands. A complete list of affected brands and products is below.

The Company took this voluntary recall action immediately after learning this morning from the FDA that wheat gluten supplied to Del Monte Pet Products from a specific manufacturing facility in China contained melamine. Melamine is a substance not approved for use in food. The FDA made this finding as part of its ongoing investigation into the recent pet food recall.

The adulteration occurred in a limited production quantity on select product codes of the brands below. This recall removes all Del Monte pet products with wheat gluten procured from this manufacturing facility from retail shelves.

No other Del Monte Pet Products treats, biscuits or wet dog food products are impacted by this recall, and no Del Monte dry cat food, dry dog food, wet cat food or pouched pet foods are subject to this voluntary recall. The affected products comprise less than one-tenth of one percent of Del Monte Pet Products’ annual pet food and pet treat production.

Del Monte Pet Products has proactively engaged and fully cooperated with the FDA since the start of its investigation. The adulterated ingredients were used in limited production over the last three months for those items identified by specific product codes. Del Monte Pet Products has not used wheat gluten from this manufacturing facility in China in any other pet products except those described below.

Consumers should discontinue feeding the products with the Product Codes detailed below to their pets.

Del Monte Pet Products are 100% guaranteed and all returned product will be refunded.

Del Monte Pet Products customers can visit our website (www.delmonte.com) or contact our Consumer Hotline at (800) 949-3799 for further information about the recall and for instructions on obtaining a product refund.

...

As part of the pet community, we value the health and well-being of pets, and we deeply regret this unfortunate situation. We will continue to take any and all actions necessary to ensure the quality and safety of our products.

The Pet Food Institute and their Members

Part of the problem... the Pet Food Institute

Since 1958, the Pet Food Institute has been the voice of U.S. pet food manufacturers. PFI is the industry's public education and media relations resource, representative before the U.S. Congress and state and federal agencies, organizer of seminars and educational programs, and liaison with other organizations. PFI represents the manufacturers of 97 percent of all dog and cat food produced in the United States.

PFI is dedicated to:

• Promoting the overall care and well-being of pets.
• Supporting initiatives to advance the quality of dog and cat food.
• Supporting research in pet nutrition and the important role of pets in our society.
• Informing and educating the public on pet proper feeding and pet care.
• Representing the pet food industry before Federal and State governments.

Who are the members? Click on the links for Company and Contact information!

Active Members - makers of dry, canned, and semi-moist dog and cat foods and treats for dogs and cats. Click here for a list of Active Member webpages.

Affiliate Members - suppliers of ingredients, equipment, and services to the pet food industry. Click here for a list of Affiliate Members websites

A lot of people have a lot at stake. Don't mistake them for being on the side of pets or pet health, take a look at their March 23rd press release - almost exactly what Menu Foods said. (Trust us while we kill your pets.) Um, no thanks.


The industry, the problem, the background : not sure where they've been in all this, but some good info here:
From API (Animal Protection Institute)

What most consumers don’t know is that the pet food industry is an extension of the human food and agriculture industries. Pet food provides a convenient way for slaughterhouse offal, grains considered “unfit for human consumption,” and similar waste products to be turned into profit. This waste includes intestines, udders, heads, hooves, and possibly diseased and cancerous animal parts.

The Players

The pet food market has been dominated in the last few years by the acquisition of big companies by even bigger companies. With $15 billion a year at stake in the U.S. and rapidly expanding foreign markets, it’s no wonder that some are greedy for a larger piece of the pie.

• Nestlé’s bought Purina to form Nestlé Purina Petcare Company (Fancy Feast, Alpo, Friskies, Mighty Dog, Dog Chow, Cat Chow, Puppy Chow, Kitten Chow, Beneful, One, ProPlan, DeliCat, HiPro, Kit’n’Kaboodle, Tender Vittles, Purina Veterinary Diets).
• Del Monte gobbled up Heinz (MeowMix, Gravy Train, Kibbles ’n Bits, Wagwells, 9Lives, Cycle, Skippy, Nature’s Recipe, and pet treats Milk Bone, Pup-Peroni, Snausages, Pounce).
• MasterFoods owns Mars, Inc., which consumed Royal Canin (Pedigree, Waltham’s, Cesar, Sheba, Temptations, Goodlife Recipe, Sensible Choice, Excel).

Other major pet food makers are not best known for pet care, although many of their household and personal care products do use ingredients derived from animal by-products:

• Procter and Gamble (P&G) purchased The Iams Company (Iams, Eukanuba) in 1999. P&G shortly thereafter introduced Iams into grocery stores, where it did very well.
• Colgate-Palmolive bought Hill’s Science Diet (founded in 1939) in 1976 (Hill’s Science Diet, Prescription Diets, Nature’s Best).

Private labelers (who make food for “house” brands like Kroger and Wal-Mart) and co-packers (who produce food for other pet food makers) are also major players. Three major companies are Doane Pet Care, Diamond, and Menu Foods; they produce food for dozens of private label and brand names. Interestingly, all 3 of these companies have been involved in pet food recalls that sickened or killed many pets.

Many major pet food companies in the United States are subsidiaries of gigantic multinational corporations. From a business standpoint, pet food fits very well with companies making human products. The multinationals have increased bulk-purchasing power; those that make human food products have a captive market in which to capitalize on their waste products; and pet food divisions have a more reliable capital base and, in many cases, a convenient source of ingredients.

The Pet Food Institute — the trade association of pet food manufacturers —has acknowledged the use of by-products in pet foods as additional income for processors and farmers: “The growth of the pet food industry not only provided pet owners with better foods for their pets, but also created profitable additional markets for American farm products and for the byproducts of the meat packing, poultry, and other food industries which prepare food for human consumption.”

Recalled Pet Food Tracker - National Brands Updated 3-31

***For the Pet Food Trackers (there are 2 now) please go to http://petfoodtracker.blogspot.com/***




The Recalled Pet Food Tracker for National Brands has been updated:

http://localhostr.com/files/4de1dee70dc78a2630e9.pdf

***Updated March 31, 2007***

Foods Added:

• Alpo cans (3-30)
• Hills Prescription m/d DRY Cat Food (3-30)

Information Added/Changed:

• Parent Company information has been added next to each brand
• Brands are listed by order of Parent Company, so are in a different order
• Page numbers

This is a summary (PDF file) of the pet foods recalled by 5 of the most commonly found National Brands (Iams, Eukanuba, Science Diet, Nutro, Mighty Dog) . (Other brands will be added soon... in the meantime make sure to check http://www.menufoods.com/recall/ for brands not yet listed here.) The summary is 5 pages, and includes FDA contact information for every state.

Take this into stores to make sure products are not still on the shelves. If they are, call the FDA (phone numbers included). Then contact your local media.

Clicking on the link will open the file for easy printing, right click on the link to open in a new window.

Another recall: Alpo Prime Chunks in Gravy

I was looking at the Alpo Prime Cuts in Gravy cans last night at CVS, and told the store manager they would be next to be recalled.

If for some reason you’re still feeding your pets canned food by any of these companies, at least stop feeding any ‘gravy’ varieties.

Here's the release (released at MIDNIGHT!!! These companies are out. of. control. )

Nestle Purina PetCare Company today announced it is voluntarily recalling all sizes and varieties of its ALPO(R) Prime Cuts in Gravy wet dog food with specific date codes. The Company is taking this voluntary action after learning today that wheat gluten containing melamine, a substance not approved for use in food, was provided to Purina by the same company that also supplied Menu Foods. The contamination occurred in a limited production quantity at only one of Purina's 17 pet food manufacturing facilities.

I couldn't agree more with what Itchmo said, especially the stuff in red:

The FDA announcement stated that one other manufacturer received the same wheat gluten. After the Hills announcement, and now Purina, we would like to know who else is using this tainted wheat gluten. And for the love of our pets, pet food companies, please speak up now to save our pets’ lives. FDA, do you even know who is using this food?

It’s like a cancer that is spreading.

*Sarcasm* Purina, thanks for releasing your news in such a timely fashion — especially doing it in the middle of the night. We appreciate you taking the time to do it on the 2 week anniversary of the Menu Foods recall. How thoughtful. We would like you to know that the Official Pet of Itchmo will be tossing out his Purina ProPlan food.

...

P.S. Hours after this posting, the FDA site still did not have this news listed. (3/31 4 am EDT)

Menu Foods - more lies

paul henderson does it again. Shows his belief that we are all stupid. Um, nope, not gonna trust a word you say. (Lack of caps on his name to show my disdain for the man.)

To quote one of my favorite characters on TV (Matlock) - JACKASS.

Here's what he and Menu Foods had to say for themselves today. (right click on the link to open it in a new window so you can come back here afterwards and read more.)

http://www.menufoods.com/recall/070330E%20Opening%20Statement%20-%20March%2030%202007.htm

If you're not angry yet, read this, and the things they had to say for themselves 9 days ago. http://playingbig.blogspot.com/2007/03/pet-food-recall-menu-foods-president.html


Note to readers: sensing a bit more emotion in my posts today? Yep, that's right. You are. Even after getting away from it for awhile and watching 10 episodes of Heroes yesterday I'm angry all over again today. And I'm okay with that.

I figured out some tools to manage the anger, rather than having it manage me. I'll post some helpful tips on that later today or tomorrow, including an audio you can listen to if you're furious and need a break from it.

as for paul henderson - we're in it for the long haul. And we will see you prosecuted for criminal charges before this story is over.

FDA Press Conference - more Partial Truths

FDA reports more partial truths. News media stop coverage mid-stream. Menu Foods announces another Friday press conference - for News Media with credentials only.

And this is only the beginning.

We now know melamine has been found in wheat gluten. We now know this SAME wheat gluten was shipped to (at least) one manufacturer of DRY pet food.

FDA won't release the name. Um, Hello FDA - we have a right to know NOW. You really don't want to mess with pet lovers.

Apparently this manufacturer is so behind-the-times that they don't know whether they've used any of it yet in pet food. Um, I don't believe you. You're LYING.

So take note.

To: Menu Foods, the FDA, Pet Food Manufacturers, and assorted huge conglomerates that make pet food.

From: Me, and hundreds of thousands of pet owners

You're LYING and we know it. We're not stupid. And we're pissed. And we're grieving. You made a mistake thinking this would blow over. You severely underestimated the nature of our love for our pets. We will find the truth, and we will make you pay.

Some of us will do it the 'light / love-based' way - by focusing on our pets and by taking our business to organic pet food manufacturers or making their food ourselves.

Some of us will do it the 'dark / fear-based ' way - by legal action and protests and boycotts and pushing for congressional hearings and criminal prosecution. Just wanna repeat that last one - CRIMINAL prosecution. Because that's what you are. Heartless CRIMINALs.

Me? What camp will I be in? I'll be in both.
Light - because I have to maintain that energy - it's who I am. And because I will go crazy if I totally give in to the anger I feel at you.

Dark - because that's all you'll notice. And because I've got enough anger at you for 40 lifetimes.


For all the coverage you need on today's news, see http://www.petconnection.com/blog/.

I'll add links and quotes later. One you must see now though, because it is absolutely chilling:

In an FDA press conference this morning, a reporter asked the FDA’s Dr. Stephen Sundlof if people could be feeding unsafe food to their pets right now, because the FDA won’t reveal the name of a company - that makes dry “kibbled” food as well as “wet” pet food - that received wheat gluten from the same source Menu did.

The response? “It is possible, but I think we’ve been following every lead that we can. My sense is that we have gotten most of it under control.”

You're LYING. And you're WRONG.

And you should see this one right away too.

Karen Roebuck of the Pittsburg Tribune-Review, who broke the story earlier this morning that melamine, not aminopterin, had been found in the tested foods, asked if any of the wheat gluten had found its way into the human food supply.

The response: “At this point we are not aware that any of that went into human food.” They do know the company that supplied the contaminated wheat gluten, and are tracking its shipments, but they aren’t disclosing the name of the company.

They are, however, doing “100 percent review and sampling of all wheat gluten from China.”

Dry Food Illness/Death Numbers Reported by Itchmo

After just a few days of collecting reports of dry food illnesses and deaths, itchmo has reported the results.

Is it 'proof'? Maybe not. But it sure as hell convinces me.

http://www.itchmo.com/read/voluntary-dry-food-reports_20070328

Number of Specific Cat Food Brand Reported:

Iams: 17
Purina: 6
Science Diet: 5
Nutro: 4
Special Kitty: 3
Royal Canin: 1

Number of Specific Dog Food Brand Reported:

Iams: 21
Nutro: 14
Ol’Roy: 5
Science Diet: 4
Eukanuba: 2
Pedigree: 2
Purina: 2
Authority: 1
Beneful: 1
Natural Balance: 1
Trader Joe’s: 1

Recalled Pet Food Tracker - National Brands Available Now

First project - DONE.

This is a summary (PDF file) of the pet foods recalled by 5 of the most commonly found National Brands (Iams, Eukanuba, Science Diet, Nutro, Mighty Dog) . (Other brands will be added soon... in the meantime make sure to check http://www.menufoods.com/recall/ for brands not yet listed here.) The summary is 4 pages, and includes FDA contact information for every state.

Take this into stores to make sure products are not still on the shelves. If they are, call the FDA (phone numbers included). Then contact your local media.

If the media won't do it, and the manufacturers won't do it, and the retailers won't do it, we need to check store shelves ourselves!

Clicking on this link will open the file for easy printing, right click on the link to open in a new window.

http://localhostr.com/files/3c87768e1d1c3ac43614.pdf

NEXT Project: Pet Food Tracker for Premium Natural and/or Organic Brands that have nothing to do with Menu Foods

(www.petfoodtracker.com and www.petfoodtracker.blogspot.com coming soon)

2,237 deceased pets, still just the tip...

This morning from the PetConnection database (8:30 a.m. PT): 2,237 deceased pets (1,257 cats, 980 dogs). These are self-reported numbers, as you all know by now.

Why do I say it's still just the tip? Because none of the agencies involved in this seem to know what they're doing. Tragically, because of this, the numbers reported to the press are low, the numbers they report are low, so the story isn't covered the way it should be. Hasn't been from day one and still isn't.

Cats and dogs are dying unnecessarily this week because these agencies don't have their shit together. This cannot happen again.

Petconnection.com discusses this today, and calls for action. (Most bold and highlighting in red is mine)

Throughout the unfolding pet-food crisis, the vetcetera blog has provided the necessary counterpoint to what we’ve been reporting here on Pet Connection. In thoughtful, well-reasoned posts, that blog (written by a veterinary practice manager whose wife is a board-certified feline specialist) has looked at what we were doing and questioned the good and the not-so-good of it. His contributions have been valuable, especially his evaluation of what our PetConnection database of self-reported numbers really means.

This story has always been about the numbers. It is the nature of business to downplay bad news, and the nature of government to proceed with bureaucratic caution. But when thousands of pets are being sickened and killed, the need for the swift sharing of information is essential.

We were told early on that sick and dead pets should be reported to the FDA. Next, we were told that they should be reported to the FDA and that veterinarians should report to their respective State Veterinarians, who would then report to the FDA.

How well did that work?

Anyone who called the FDA directly knows how hard it was to get through. So what about the veterinarians who tried to report to the state?

Breaking truly new reporting ground — OK, we’re a little in awe, and wish we’d thought of it — vetcetera looked at the actions of the State Veterinarian in each state. And found, in most cases, they were in full-on Heckuva Job, Brownie mode. In other words, they made the FDA look good by comparison. With the notable exceptions of Oregon and Georgia, few states made much effort to share critical information, to let veterinarians know they should report in, or to take reports volunteered by veterinarians.

This is beyond scandalous. Getting and sharing this kind of information is a serious issue of national security. Veterinarians are a critical component of the public-health system. Even if you don’t care about animals, you ought to care about the ability of veterinarians to be part of a system that reports developing problems with animal health.

Because, well, some of those problems can quickly become human problems. Anyone ever hear of Bird Flu?

We must push for a national system to for the rapid two-way sharing of information on a health crisis among our animals.

Today, call or write (don’t e-mail — they bat those away like gnats) your elected representatives at the state and national level and demand a system be put in place.

Okay, you all catch that Bird Flu reference? If this situation doesn't already scare you, it should.

And maybe "Bird Flu" is the magic phrase needed to get this situation handled better.

Science Diet Withdraws ALL Products made by Menu Foods

Good to see them do this. They've only added 3 oz cans to the list, but it's a step. Another company steps up...

http://www.hillspet.com/menu_foods/Menu_Foods_en_US.htm

Hill's Pet Nutrition, Inc., Announces An Update On The Voluntary Participation in Menu Foods' Nationwide U.S. recall of Specific Canned Cat Foods.

Topeka, Kansas (March 27, 2007) - As you know, Hill's makes all of its products with an overriding commitment to the health and well-being of pets. With this in mind, on March 21 we notified you of our decision to issue a voluntary precautionary recall of a very small number of canned cat food products in the United States that were manufactured by Menu Foods, which had announced a recall. This involved a very small portion of Hill's total product line.

To ensure that our customers continue to have absolute confidence in all of Hill's products, Hill's has decided to voluntarily withdraw from the market all Science Diet® Savory Cuts® Feline products.

THESE ARE THE ONLY PRODUCTS PRODUCED BY MENU FOODS FOR HILLS PET NUTRITION. NO OTHER HILL'S SCIENCE DIET PRODUCTS AND NO PRESCRIPTION DIET PRODUCTS ARE AFFECTED.

ASPCA: Likely to be more than one cause

From my post last Friday

"My first thought: I've seen reports online by vets based on their own tests and autopsies that seemed to indicate a different/additional cause. I still believe there will be more bad information to come."

I didn't want to be right on this one.

http://www.aspca.org/site/PageServer?pagename=press_032707_2

NEW YORK, March 27, 2007—Since Menu Foods announced its massive pet food recall on March 16, the ASPCA^® (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals^®) has been flooded with calls from concerned pet parents and animal welfare professionals alike. Call volume at the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (APCC), which is based in its Midwest Office in Urbana, Ill., has increased significantly over the past 10 days—approximately 14 percent—and the ASPCA’s veterinary toxicologists have been carefully analyzing data from these calls.

Today the ASPCA reports that, based on these data, clinical signs reported in cats affected by the contaminated foods are not fully consistent with the ingestion of rat poison containing aminopterin that, according to Menu Foods, is at the “root” of the contamination issue.

“We’ve seen reports coming in from all around the country that animals that were eating the contaminated foods are definitely suffering from renal failure,” said Dr. Steven Hansen, veterinary toxicologist and senior vice president with the ASPCA, who manages the ASPCA’s Midwest Office, including the APCC. “But the data that we’ve been collecting do not conclusively prove this connection, which is why we strongly recommend that those involved in the investigation continue to search for additional contaminants.”

Dr. Hansen continued, “Aminopterin has been used to treat cancer in people, since it is able to disrupt rapidly-growing cells. In animals, it should result in effects that mimic this function, and these include bloody diarrhea, bone marrow suppression, abortion and birth defects. Further, renal damage—which has been seen in the affected animals—can occur at high doses.

“However, to be consistent with the effects of aminopterin, we should also be seeing a significant number of affected pets showing the accompanying signs of severe intestinal damage, as well as bone marrow suppression, including ‘leukopenia,’ which is a serious reduction in white blood cells.

“This is the missing connection that we want to alert veterinarians around the country to. We are asking all veterinarians treating cats affected by these products, to report their findings to the U. S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA).”

Although Menu Foods announced last week that aminopterin was at the “root” of the contamination issue, the FDA, the agency leading this investigation, has not corroborated this finding.

“There are so many inconsistencies in the purported link between aminopterin and the animals affected, that we urge veterinary toxicologists and veterinary pathologists at diagnostic laboratories to continue looking for additional contaminants,” said Dr. Hansen. “Only continued rigorous testing will uncover the real reason or reasons for this crisis among our pet population.”

The ASPCA strongly recommends that pet parents should have their pet examined by their veterinarian if any signs of illness occur following consumption of the recalled foods, including loss of appetite, lethargy, vomiting, diarrhea, changes in water consumption or changes in urination.

Adverse effects or deaths of pets conclusively linked to eating the contaminated foods should be reported to the FDA at http://www.fda.gov/opacom/backgrounders/complain.html.

Additionally, the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) has a wealth of resources at http://www.avma.org/aa/menufoodsrecall/default.asp.

LA Times, now AP Finally pick up the real story

Finally. Our exhaustive efforts over the past 48 hours paid off.

Now we can turn our attention back to the next thing - getting the poisoned recalled food off the shelves.

I'll have something posted back here later today that will make it easier to check shelves in your area.

EMAIL the AP - It's time to report the REAL numbers!

UPDATE: Well, looks like AP Reporter Mark Johnson didn't see fit to include any new information after all. http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2007/03/26/ny_state_lab_doing_further_testing_of_tainted_pet_food/

So, back to contacting the AP. Here's a link to the Names, phone numbers and email addresses of every AP Bureau Chief - one for each state. It's on the AP website... happy typing and calling.

http://www.ap.org/media/pdf/CoBContactList_08.08.pdf

Added at 12:00pm MT: I heard back from the reporter, forwarded that information to petconnection.com and now understand from them that Dr. Becker is in touch with AP members and is working with them so they are able to present the full story.

Added at 10:21am MT: I just emailed the AP Reporter who wrote the article my local paper ran on Saturday. I also emailed the New York City and Albany AP Bureau Chiefs. I'll keep you updated... If USA Today can report the full story, why can't the AP?


The AP and other media are still not reporting the real numbers. It's time to change that. Here's my email to them, feel free to copy it. It's not the best I can do, but it's the best I can do right now. (Note: I left out any 'quote' formatting so it's less likely to turn to gibberish when you cut and paste.)

Once you send it to the AP, go into your Sent Items folder, and forward it to your local News Media. See below for what I said.
+++++++++++++++++

To: AP info@ap.org

Every day I watch the news and wait for the AP to issue a report that has something other than the carefully manipulated numbers presented by Menu Foods.

Why are you not reporting these numbers? I am losing more faith in your service every day, as are thousands of pet owners who ARE aware of the magnitude of this story.

And because the AP is not reporting the correct numbers, the following is happening, as reported on petconnection.com

"This afternoon, we got an e-mail from a person in the news
department of a radio station, who pointed out to his boss that
other media — such as USA Today and ABC NewsClick to view image —
have been reporting a potentially much higher death rate, and asked
to change the AP's "rip-and-read" radio copy. He was told he could
not, and until the AP decides to do more than parrot the FDA line,
the story will remain largely under-reported. That means it will
soon die."

If you love a cat or a dog, please read the following, go to the petconnection.com blog and then report the real story!

BEGIN FULL TEXT OF Latest entry at http://www.petconnection.com/blog/

The Associated Press continues to report 16 dead pets, without even mentioning the possibility that there are hundreds if not thousands more. So does Newsweek, in this otherwise excellent piece on how to feed pets, featuring the esteemed Dr. Tony Buffington of the Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine.

So far, both the Animal Medical Center (the “Mayo Clinic” of veterinary hospitals) and Banfield The Pet Hospital, with more than 600 locations all connected by a central database, have both gone on the record saying there could be thousands of pets sickened or killed by recalled food.

So what’s up, AP?

This afternoon, we got an e-mail from a person in the news department of a radio station, who pointed out to his boss that other media — such as USA Today and ABC News — have been reporting a potentially much higher death rate, and asked to change the AP’s “rip-and-read” radio copy. He was told he could not, and until the AP decides to do more than parrot the FDA line, the story will remain largely under-reported. That means it will soon die.

From tomorrow’s edition of USA Today, now up on its Web site:

The Food and Drug Administration has received more than 4,400 calls from pet owners about the recalled, contaminated dog and cat food that has reportedly sickened and injured animals across the USA.

But the agency has yet to follow up on the calls, so it doesn’t know how many represent sick animals or simply concerned owners, says Stephen Sundlof, director of FDA’s Center for Veterinary Medicine.

Many pet owners are questioning the reported number of animals that have died from consuming contaminated pet food found in some of the more than 60 million recalled cans and pouches.

Menu Foods, which produced the food, has listed 16 deaths: 15 cats and one dog. The FDA is listing only 14 confirmed dead.

[…]

There are still questions about how many animals have died. With no national reporting system for animal injury or death, official numbers are impossible to come by.

However, data from the nation’s largest chain of pet hospitals, Banfield, suggest it is as high as hundreds a week during the three months the food was on the market.

During that time, the more than 600 Banfield hospitals in 43 states saw 200 to 250 cases of kidney failure in cats above the usual number that would have been expected, says Hugh Lewis, president of Data Savant, Banfield’s data collection arm.

During that period, Banfield vets saw 100,000 cats. Extrapolating to the entire cat population of the USA, that could mean “we’re probably talking several hundred cats a week across the country being affected,” Lewis says.

Our self-reported database, by the way, is now reporting 1,716 dead pets as of 9 p.m. PT.

I honestly have to wonder: Would the Associated Press accept only official government information if the deaths were people? Is this because these are “just pets”?

As long as the AP continues to report only 15 dead pets, the story will not be taken seriously. And that means there will be little interest in changes.

Report your pet’s loss to the FDA. Also, ask your veterinarian to report your pet’s loss to the state veterinarian for reporting to the FDA. Additionally, if your pet has eaten one of the recalled foods and become sick, add your pet to our database.

And yes, Menu Foods has now recalled all of its previously recalled labels, regardless of manufacturing date. Here’s a longer explanation of why, from the American Veterinary Medical Association. The AVMA says it’s not because foods beyond the recall range are suspected of being tainted, but because it’s easier to pull entire brands off the shelves instead of checking each can or pouch. In any case: Don’t buy or feed these brands, regardless of manufacture date.

Bottom line: We want your pet to be counted, everywhere. And we want your pet’s death to count for something, in hopes that in realizing the true scope of the problem changes will be made so something like this is less likely to happen again.

END FULL TEXT OF Latest entry at http://www.petconnection.com/blog/

++++++++++++++++++++++

Forward to Local Media:

On the Pet Food Recall…

I’ve been staying on top of this story since the beginning, and would really like to see more complete coverage in the (insert name of your local media here). The scope of this is much larger than the AP or any agency has reported. See my email to the AP below. The numbers of deaths is already in the thousands.

Probably the best site for you to get the real information is www.petconnection.com/blog Their most recent entry is pasted below in the email to the AP.

Recalled Food Still on Shelves? Let me know about it here

I saw this yesterday at PETCO, and again today at Walgreens. Recalled food sitting on the shelves, and the managers pleading ignorance.

Have you found recalled products at a retailer in your area? Post a comment here or Click Here to Email me with the details. Include the Retailer name, city, and if possible the products found.

These Products should not be on shelves (I'll add the flavors soon. For now, right click on the links to open up a separate window)

Mighty Dog
All 5.3 ounce Pouches recalled

Hill's Science Diet CAT
5 Savory Cuts Feline canned products

Nutro CAT:
19 Cat Pouch Products

Nutro DOG:
6 Pouch Products
16 12.5oz Canned Products

Iams CAT:
12 Select Bites 3 oz Pouches
8 Cat Slices and Flakes in Cans, both 3 and 6 oz

Iams DOG:
10 Select Bites 5.3 oz Pouches
4 Small Bites 6 oz Cans
9 Chunks 13.2 oz Cans

Eukanuba CAT
8 Morsels in Gravy 3 oz Pouches
5 Cat Cuts and Flaked in 3 oz Cans

Eukanuba DOG
8 Bites in Gravy 5.3oz Pouches
5 Chunks in Gravy 5.5 oz Cans

Pet Lover ill after eating recalled food - Canada

It was just a matter of time. I'm actually glad to see this story - maybe even more people/companies will take this seriously now.

From the Montreal Gazette:

An Ottawa woman is recovering after eating dog food and then becoming violently ill, in a case possibly related to the rat-poison-laced pet food that has killed 14 dogs and cats and sickened dozens more across North America.

Elaine Larabie said yesterday she ate some dog food last week in an effort to convince her terrier, Missy, to do the same.

Soon afterward, both Larabie and Missy found themselves in the hospital - Larabie at an after-hours emergency room, and Missy at Ottawa's Alta Vista Animal Hospital.

Retailers need to pull ALL Pouches and Cans made by Menu Foods

First Pet Food Express, then Trader Joe's, and now Krogers. Kudos to them all.
Why aren't the manufacturers and every other store that sells pet food doing the same thing? Do they think we won't act with our wallets? I for one am paying very close attention to how every company is handling this, and I will not give a single dollar - ever again - to any company risking a pets life by their actions (or lack of action).

KROGER ELECTS TO SUSPEND THE SALE OF PET FOOD MANUFACTURED BY MENU FOODS IN CANS AND POUCHES

Cincinnati, Ohio, March 23, 2007 - The Kroger Co. has elected to remove from sale pet food manufactured by Menu Foods that is sold in pouches and cans, including Pet Pride and IAMS brands in pouches and cans, Mighty Dog pouches and All Natural Life brand cans.

Kroger's action goes beyond products recalled in the past week. We are taking this step as an added precautionary measure until we are satisfied that Menu Foods, the manufacturer of the products, can assure Kroger that these specific products are safe for consumption by our customers' pets. This elective recall does not include dry dog food products.

Customers who have products included in Kroger's elective recall may return them to one of our stores for a full refund. They may also call Kroger's Customer Center at 1-800-697-2448.

And here's what Pet Food Express says (the new gold standard in my opinion).

March 23, 2007 1:00 P.M.

UPDATE ON MENU FOODS RECALL

The NY State Department of Agriculture and Markets announced earlier today that a rat poison, aminopterin, was found in the Menu Foods-produced foods that have been recalled. Aminopterin is not approved for use in the U.S. for rodent control but is used in other countries. It is possible that the wheat used in the tainted foods may have been imported from such a country although state officials did not say how it got into the food.

We welcome this new finding and hope that it will allow us to get fully back into business soon but we are still waiting for more definitive word before we release all non-recalled foods for sale. We are monitoring the situation closely and will act as soon as we believe that it is safe.

Thursday, March 22, 2007- 1:30 p.m.

The latest update on Pet Food Express and the Menu Foods recall…

PFE’s current sales policy on wet dog and cat food is as follows:

NOT AVAILABLE FOR SALE

We are not selling:

• Any item that has been recalled.
• Any wet foods, recalled or not, from brands that were made by Menu Foods and that had a significant number of recalled products
• The brands affected are: Iams, Eukanuba, Science Diet, Nutro

AVAILABLE FOR SALE ON A RESTRICTED BASIS

These are brands that are produced in whole or in part by Menu Foods but for which we have spoken to the manufacturer and been assured that:

• Their products are not produced in the suspected plants.
• None of their products are being recalled
• They have had no reports of sick, dying, or dead pets.
• Their products do not contain wheat gluten.

We are selling these brands only if a client is fully aware of the recall and the potential risk posed by feeding a product made by Menu Foods. Although we have been assured that there is no problem with these foods, we cannot and do not vouch that they are safe.

• The brands included are: Nature's Variety, Wellness, Castor & Pollux, Newman’s Own Organics, Wysong, Innova

Easy to Use Lists of Recalled Products

After going into a local PETCO today and being shocked and confused by all the products still on the shelf, I came home and tried to find an easy-to-use checklist of which Iams / Eukanuba / Science Diet / Mighty Dog / Nutro products should NOT be on store shelves. It was much harder than I expected.

I'm focusing on these brands because they are found in many stores, rather than being local or store brands. It's a total of 7 pages total if you print each one out.

Nutro dog/cat on same pages: http://www.nutroproducts.com/mfproductlist.asp

Iams dog/cat and Eukanuba dog/cat all on same page: http://us.iams.com/iams/en_US/data_root/html/product_article/ProductRecallList.htm

Hills - Science Diet CAT food: (only the "Savory Cuts" cans recalled) http://www.hillspet.com/menu_foods/Menu_Foods_en_US.htm

Mighty Dog 5.3oz POUCHES Only: http://www.mightydog.com/voluntarypouchwithdrawal.aspx

While initially the recall information included date codes, yesterday the recall was expanded to include all dates of the products in question, which makes the lists smaller and easier to read because no date codes are needed. [On Saturday the date expansion was denied, then after a couple of they-can't-really-be-doing-this-hours, announced again. Okay. Uhuh. Whatever. NONE of these foods should be on the shelf. If you want to read the full story on their back and forth, the best place is over at http://howl911.com/]

***Added*** Seems like we all need something we all can take into our local stores to make sure they do not have recalled food on the shelves. I'm thinking I'll put the above lists, along with the Menu Foods press release into a single PDF file for easiest printing. If you like the idea, and would find it helpful, let me know. Comment here or click the email link on the top right of this page. Thanks.

1541 Pets now reported dead (updated 8pm )

Heartbreaking. And I remain convinced this is still just the tip of the iceberg.

Read the latest update at petconnection here

The latest numbers from our database (8 p.m. PT): 1541 dead (885 cats/646 dogs). As always, let us remind you: These are self-reported numbers.

DRY Food reports continue - NUTRO, IAMS

Nutro Dry Foods - I've now read several first person accounts of a pet dying who only ate Nutro DRY food.

I have a bag in my kitchen. I would cut off a piece of my arm and feed it to my cats before I would give even one nugget to them.

Is that a shocking enough statement to convince you? I hope so.

Go here to read more about Dry food reports over on itchmo.com

He's asking that you email DRY food reports here: tips@itchmo.com

Need a Vet? Try Banfield - offering a 25% discount for Pet Food Recall treatment

If you're in a new place and / or don't yet have a vet you know and trust for your pets, you might want to consider Banfield. They're offering a 25 percent discount, and have set up a fund to assist clients. They're the first, and as far as I know the only vet organization to step up this way.

I posted about them a few days ago, I'll repeat it here:

Banfield, The Pet Hospital is providing a 25 percent discount off the recommended medical treatment plans received at participating Banfield hospitals across the nation. Specialists and other experts have developed these specific treatment plans to screen for and treat kidney problems seen in patients who have eaten the tainted foods.

In addition, the Banfield Charitable Trust has created an emergency fund and donated the first $50,000 in funding to financially assist clients with Pet medical costs incurred at Banfield that are associated with the Menu Foods product contamination. Banfield Charitable Trust funds from this grant can be applied for at Banfield hospitals.

I never would have thought to take my pets there, but I've found out this week that all of their vets are networked together, so they are able to share information nation wide, and learn from each other. This is a huge benefit in this situation.

You can search by location here http://banfield.net/health/search.asp

RECALL EXPANDED to ALL DATES

**Updated Sunday 3/25 Menu Foods has finally posted this information on their website: http://www.menufoods.com/recall/PRESS%20RELEASE03241409.htm

From an AP report here

After the announcement, the company that produced the food expanded its recall to include all 95 brands of the "cuts and gravy" style food, regardless of when they were produced.

The company expanded the recall — which initially covered only cans and pouches of food packaged from Dec. 3 through March 6 — after the FDA alerted it that some products remained on store shelves.
...
Scientists at the New York State Animal Health Diagnostic Center at Cornell University and at the New York State Food Laboratory tested three cat food samples provided by the manufacturer and found aminopterin in two of them. The two labs are part of a network created after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks to keep the nation's animals and food supply safe.

(Note that there have been reports of deaths prior to last DECEMBER.)

If you think your pet ate affected food - GET TO A VET

I'm still seeing posts and comments online asking what to do if your pet might have eaten affected food.

I am not a veterinarian, I am a cat lover and owner who has had too many cats die because I hesitated to take them to a vet. So, with all my heart, and it's breaking as I write this, I say this:

If you believe your pet has eaten any of the affected food, take him or her to a vet IMMEDIATELY. Don't post a question here, don't post a question on a message board, don't post a question on a Yahoo Group. Don't ask your friends, don't ask a pet food store. Take them to a vet IMMEDIATELY.

If they show signs of this poison or kidney failure but they've eaten different food, take them to a vet immediately.

If you don't have the money, go to or call Banfield. They set up a fund to help owners pay for treatment. See if your vet will test/treat first and accept payment later. Ask another vet! And another! Or ask your parents, your children, your friends, your neighbors if they will cover the upfront costs.

If you don't and your pet dies, you will never forgive yourself. There are thousands of us, at the very least, who have to live with the guilt of 'what-might-have-been' every day. Thousands more joined that list this week.

Please, you do not want to be a member of this club. If you've done everything you can you will still grieve, but you will at least have the peace of knowing you did everything possible.

Pet Food Recall - ABC Reports on both Press Conferences

The full article is here.

Some excerpts...

Investigators, meanwhile, are looking into whether the rat poison came into the United States on an ingredient used in the recalled food. ABC News has learned that Menu Foods bought wheat gluten, the only ingredient changed in its plants, from China. That possibility raises questions about the safety of pet and other food products in the United States.

The chemical can cause kidney failure in dogs and cats, said Donald Smith, dean of Cornell University's College of Veterinary Medicine, during the conference.

Scientists at the state's food laboratory in Albany, N.Y., made the discovery a week after Menu Foods issued its recall.

"This is one step in a long process that will lead us to know what has happened and how it has happened," Smith said.

Aminopterin is not registered for use as a pesticide in the United States, and it has been known as a potential source of birth defects in humans.

ABC News first reported that the rodenticide may have been present in the wheat that was imported from China and used by Menu Foods, according to a source close to the investigation.

...

Investigators also have not yet determined whether aminopterin is the only contaminant in all the recalled food.

"If it is not the only culprit, as I suspect, the problem isn't over," McGill said, adding that it is also uncertain as to whether the finding will be much help to veterinarians.

According to McGill, even if the aminopterin is the culprit, "most veterinarians have never heard of this product. There will need to be more information put out to suggest therapeutic regimens."

Pet Food Recall - Press Conference State Agriculture Dept

Here's the link, I'm just watching it now...
(Added - the site is getting hammered so keep trying)

- joint collaboration between Cornell and Lab in Albany

- they have just analyzed the processed food, they did NOT have any of the individual ingredients that went into the food
- they are just beginning to test the individual ingredients now.
- this is food the company provided through the feeding trial a couple of weeks ago.
-

Menu Foods Press Conference - They do NOT know the SOURCE

In this press conference, they stated they do NOT know the source of the poison.
http://www.9wsyr.com/mediacenter/local.aspx?videoid=193689

Highlights (I'll continue adding these as I watch the video. I'm shocked by so much of what they're saying that it's hard to type though. ):

- Products are from TWO manufacturing facilities, one in Kansas and one in New Jersey.
- Both facilities are STILL IN OPERATION (what is WRONG with these people???!)
- They do NOT admit to negligence on their part.
- They evaded a question about the number of pets that have died.
- The reporters are stunned that they are still manufacturing food at these plants.
- Reporter is stunned that they expect customers whose pets have died to remain loyal to them

Basically, this is a fairly useless CYA press conference, meant more to reassure investors than pet owners.

Menu Foods Statement. Plant to be closed temporarily?

ADDED 3:31pm - link to the raw footage of the press conference by Menu Foods
Added 3/24 10:50am I've seen others report the plants are to be closed for a few days, but I haven't seen that information for myself, I thought I heard the opposite.

They finally make a statement,

Menu Foods responds

Globe and Mail Update

A statement prepared for and expected to be read by Paul K. Henderson,
President and CEO, Menu Foods Income Fund, at a news conference Friday.

Ladies and gentlemen:

Thank you for assembling on such short notice.

I have some brief opening comments. And then we will take questions.
The news conference will conclude at 4:30 sharp.

The Globe and Mail

My name is Paul Henderson, and I am the President and CEO of Menu Foods.

With me today is Dr. Richard Shields, Executive Vice President of Menu
Foods. Rick is head of Menu's technical services that includes
research & development, regulatory and quality assurance. Rick is a
PhD in Animal Nutrition.

We are happy and relieved that the experts from the New York State
Department of Agriculture and Cornell University have discovered the
root of the issue that has harmed North American cats and dogs. This
important discovery caps an unprecedented search by top experts.

Dedicated and knowledgeable researchers at universities, independent
laboratories, and our own veterinary consultants worked tirelessly to
defend and protect our cats and dogs.

Over the past seven days, we have spoken with almost two hundred
thousand consumers. They were scared. Some, like myself, are angry.
They demonstrated a level of care and concern that only those of us
who are pet owners can understand.

Our hearts go out to the many thousands of pet-owners across Canada
and the U.S. for their losses and their worry. We are grateful to them
for their patience as we hunted for the root of the problem.

I can anticipate some of your questions, so let me address them briefly.

Q. How did this substance get into our products?

A. At this stage, we do not know. Our immediate next steps will be to
begin testing of all suspect raw materials with the goal of quickly
identifying the means through which this substance entered our supply
chain.

Q. Which specific products made by our company contain this

substance?

A. Again, we do not know with certainty. This morning, the

researchers advised us of their discovery as they investigated the
recalled product. At this time we have no reason to suspect that this
matter goes beyond the recalled product.

Q.What should pet-owners do?

A. Until we have these answers, we have the following advice for
consumers:

– We want to reinforce our view that all consumers should immediately
stop using the recalled product.

– If your pet is showing any signs of illness after consuming any
recalled pet food, see a veterinarian immediately

Q.What about the future of Menu Foods?

A. We have a strong, sustainable business, and we're confident about
the future. Our customers and partners have been understanding,
supportive and loyal. And for that, we are grateful.

As I have explained, we have a lot of work to do. And we are eager to
get back to it. But we will take questions for about 20 minutes.

Other reports coming in the their plant is to close (temporarily). I'll update this as soon as I find more.